New Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry said Wednesday that he will decide on the fate of interim head coach Doug Christie hopefully within the week.

• He also said his phone has been "incessantly ringing" with interest in the Kings' full-time coaching job.

  Perry made the remarks during his introductory press conference, one day after officially being named GM of the team.

  Christie went 27-24 to finish out the regular season in place of Mike Brown, fired by former GM Monte McNair in late December. The Kings were 13-18 at the time. The Kings were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in a play-in game last week.

  "We've had a few conversations up to this point. He's one of the first people I met yesterday when I got into town," Perry said of Christie. "That said, my phone is incessantly ringing for interest in this job. So, I'm going to have a few more conversations in and around about this job and hopefully I can come to some sort of resolution within the next week or so in terms of having a decision and announcement to inform everybody."

  Christie, on the Kings' staff since 2021, played 15 seasons in the NBA, including 4 1/2 for Sacramento from 2000-05.

  Perry, 61, briefly served as vice president of basketball operations in Sacramento in 2017 before he was named general manager of the New York Knicks (2017-23).

  He began his NBA front office career with the Detroit Pistons in 2000. He was the assistant GM for the then-Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08, the vice president of basketball operations for the Pistons from 2008-12, and an assistant GM and VP for the Orlando Magic from 2012-17.

  --Field Level Media

Jimmer Fredette, a college basketball standout who later starred in China and with USA Basketball, announced his retirement from the game on Wednesday.

• "It's time to say goodbye to basketball," he posted to X. "I have loved every second of my career through the good and the bad! Thank you all for the support throughout the years. Basketball has made me who I am today. Excited for what is next in my life with my family!"

  Fredette, 36, grew up in Glens Falls, N.Y., and played four seasons at BYU, giving birth to the phenomenon known as "Jimmermania." In 2011, he led BYU to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where the third-seeded Cougars fell to Florida in overtime, and also was named National Player of the Year.

  As a senior, Fredette led all Division I scorers with 28.9 points per game and also shot 39.6 percent from 3-point range. The All-American guard added 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

  He never found his niche in the NBA, however. Drafted No. 10 overall in 2011, he appeared in 241 games for five teams over parts of six seasons. The bulk of those games came with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, and he played in 16 combined games with the Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.

  Fredette went on to play four seasons in China and one in Europe and was named MVP of the Chinese Basketball League in the 2016-17 season when he averaged 37.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists and shot 41.1 percent from 3-point territory. In China, he had games of 70 and 75 points.

  His final basketball act was as the leader of the United States' 3x3 basketball team, and he entered the Paris Olympics last summer as the top-ranked player in the game and with the Americans a medal contender. But Fredette suffered an adductor injury in the second game of the tournament and, unable to replace him on the roster by rules, the U.S. fell out of the medals.

  Fredette is a partner in Tandem Venture Partners, a venture capital firm in Utah.

  --Field Level Media

The NBA announced the five finalists for the 2024-25 Social Justice Champion award on Wednesday.

• Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Harrison Barnes (San Antonio Spurs), Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics) and CJ McCollum (New Orleans Pelicans) were chosen by a committee that includes NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, human rights activist Dr. Richard Lapchick, National Urban League president and CEO Marc Morial, and NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum.

  The winner, to be announced during the NBA playoffs, will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy and $100,000 to benefit the justice-focused organization of his choosing.

  Previous winners include Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and last year's winner, Karl Anthony-Towns.

  --Field Level Media

The Pelicans are strengthening their connection to the Pistons and hiring former Detroit general manager Troy Weaver to the same post in New Orleans, ESPN reported Wednesday.

• Last week, the Pelicans introduced Hall of Famer and Pistons legend Joe Dumars as their executive vice president of basketball operations.

  Weaver, 57, served as GM for the Pistons from 2020-24. He spent the 2024-25 season as a senior advisor with the Washington Wizards.

  Under Weaver's direction in Detroit, the Pistons amassed a league-best $61 million in salary cap space and a roster stocked with young talent. The Pistons were 72-244 during that span but his efforts ultimately bore fruit this season as Detroit ended a six-year playoff drought, led by some notable draft picks from his tenure.

  Weaver previously worked as the player personnel director for the Utah Jazz from 2007-08 and worked in the front office of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008-20, finishing his time there as VP of basketball operations.

  The Pelicans parted with general manager David Griffin on April 14 following a 21-61 campaign.

  --Field Level Media

Luka Doncic scored 16 of his 31 points in a dominating first quarter and added 12 rebounds and nine assists as the Los Angeles Lakers evened their Western Conference first-round playoff series with a 94-85 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

• LeBron James added 21 points and 11 rebounds, Austin Reaves scored 16 points and Rui Hachimura had 11 as the No. 3 seed Lakers rebounded from a 22-point loss in the series opener Saturday. Game 3 is Friday in Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves went 2-0 against Los Angeles in the regular season.

  Julius Randle scored 27 points and Anthony Edwards added 25 for the No. 6 seed Timberwolves, who shot 38 percent from the field after shooting 51.2 percent in Game 1, when they were also 21 of 42 from 3-point range. Minnesota hit a season-low five 3-pointers on 25 attempts in Game 2 and scored its fewest points this season.

  Los Angeles roared out to a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the game. The Lakers were up 34-15 at the end of the first quarter, shooting 55 percent while holding Minnesota to 27.8 percent. The Lakers led by 22 points in the first half and were up 58-43 at halftime.

  Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99

  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points to lead Oklahoma City to another comfortable home win over Memphis.

  The Thunder, who won the opener by 51 points, lead the best-of-seven Western Conference series 2-0. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday in Memphis. Jalen Williams added 24 points for Oklahoma City, which never trailed. Chet Holmgren contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, and Alex Caruso scored 13.

  Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points while Ja Morant added 23. Jackson scored 13 of his points in the third quarter, when the Grizzlies outscored the Thunder 27-20.

  Pacers 123, Bucks 115

  Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton each had a double-double as Indiana withstood a late rally to beat Milwaukee in Indianapolis for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

  Siakam had 24 points and 11 rebounds while Haliburton had 21 points and 12 assists for fourth-seeded Indiana, which never trailed. The best-of-seven series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Friday. Andrew Nembhard finished with 17 points, Aaron Nesmith added 16, Myles Turner had 15 and Bennedict Mathurin scored 14 off the bench.

  Giannis Antetokounmpo led fifth-seeded Milwaukee with 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Portis posted 28 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, Lillard added 14 points and Kyle Kuzma had 12 points. The Bucks shot 50.6 percent from the field and 40 percent (14 for 35) from beyond the arc, but committed 16 turnovers.

  --Field Level Media

Boston Celtics sharpshooting guard Payton Pritchard was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday.

• Pritchard received 454 total points in balloting, including 82 of 100 first-place votes from a global media panel.

  The Detroit Pistons' Malik Beasley was second at 279 points and 13 first-place votes. The third finalist, Ty Jerome of the Cleveland Cavaliers, had 91 points and two first-place nods.

  Pritchard, in his fifth NBA season all spent with the Celtics, averaged career highs of 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 80 games, coming off the bench in all but three. He was the defending NBA champions' fifth-leading scorer in the regular season.

  Ahead of the announcement, Pritchard said Tuesday that he was pleased with "my consistency game in, game out. Just limiting overall bad games, I'm proud of that. Just my efficiency shooting-wise, I think, has been really good this year, and just every summer finding different ways to get better and better and elevate my game, especially in the playoffs. And then hopefully next year comes and I elevate it again."

  Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement, "Payton is one of the most dedicated players I've ever been around. He truly loves the game and is committed to the work that goes into being great. In addition, he's driven by winning and doing whatever it takes to help the team.

  "Payton is a baller -- and his teammates know what they are getting every single day in terms of effort, care and commitment. For him to be honored with the award named after (former Celtics) great John Havlicek is a credit to all that he brings to the table for our team."

  His 1,079 total points off the bench were the most of any reserve in the NBA this season.

  Pritchard shot 40.7 percent on 3-point attempts, making a career-high 255 of them (3.2 per game). He hit 246 of those as a reserve, the most in NBA history.

  --Field Level Media

The 2025 NBA playoffs drew the best ratings for an opening weekend in 25 years, the league announced Tuesday.

• The eight-game slate on Saturday and Sunday averaged 4.4 million viewers, a 17-percent increase from a year ago.

  The six games on the ABC/ESPN platforms averaged 4.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched playoffs opening weekend in network history.

  The two contests carried Sunday night by TNT, truTV and MAX -- Cleveland over Miami, and Golden State downing Houston -- averaged 4.13 million viewers. That's the best ratings on that network platform in eight years and up 23 percent from 2024.

  Most popular was the defending champion Boston Celtics' 103-86 home win over the Orlando Magic that tipped off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Easter Sunday. The 6.69 million average made it the second-most watched first-round Game 1 ever on ABC. Ratings peaked at 8 million viewers.

  The same context held true for ESPN, which showed the host New York Knicks' 123-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and averaged 4.12 million viewers. That's the second-most watched first-round Game 1 on ESPN.

  The three games with the highest ratings were on ABC, the league's lone national over-the-air broadcast partner. After Magic-Celtics, the second-highest ratings went to the Minnesota Timberwolves' 117-95 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers, drawing an average of 5.4 million on Saturday night.

  The least watched of ABC's three Sunday games was the Oklahoma City Thunder's 131-80 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies, which averaged 4.45 million viewers.

  The positive news for the NBA was a boost after regular-season ratings were down 2 percent after double-digit decreases in the first two months, Front Office Sports reported. ABC finished with 10 percent growth, while ESPN-exclusive games were down 7 percent and TNT ratings decreased 8 percent, per Front Office Sports.

  --Field Level Media

The NBA has fined Anthony Edwards $50,000 for directing inappropriate language and making an obscene gesture toward a fan during the Minnesota Timberwolves' 117-95 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

• According to the league, the incident occurred with 4:33 left in the third quarter, when the visiting Timberwolves held an 85-61 lead in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

  After realizing teammate Rudy Gobert was being heckled by a fan, Edwards stepped in and told the fan how much money Gobert made. As the heckling continued, Edwards turned to the fans and grabbed his crotch while making a lewd comment.

  Edwards had 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in the Game 1 win and looks to give Minnesota a two-game lead on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

  --Field Level Media

Former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams has found a new arena, with the 33-year-old expected to make his amateur boxing debut May 29 in New York.

• A nine-year NBA veteran, Carter-Williams will square off with 36-year-old Sam Khativ in a three-round heavyweight bout at the Leman Ballroom. The "Broad Street Brawl" will raise funds for Bigvision Community, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young adults who are recovering from substance abuse.

  Uprising Promotions' Ronson Frank told ESPN that another fighter recommended bringing in Carter-Williams, who Frank said "thought the cause was really good" and "wanted to be a part of it."

  What's more, Frank told ESPN that Carter-Williams could have more fights in the future, depending on how this first one goes.

  "He is very prideful, athletic, and I think he can do well as an amateur fighter," Frank said. "If he's going pro, then that's a whole different animal. You have to be a world-class athlete to make it in the NBA, and if he has that same dedication to boxing, along with his natural athletic ability, he has the potential to do well."

  After leading the Syracuse Orange to the Final Four as a sophomore in 2013, Carter-Williams was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft. The 6-foot-5 point guard averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds and was named the 2013-14 Rookie of the Year.

  That was the peak for Carter-Williams, however, as the 76ers traded him to Milwaukee the following year, his first of five stops in the next six years. He spent the last four years of his career with the Orlando Magic, with whom he played his last game in April 2023.

  Carter-Williams formally announced his retirement in October 2024, capping a career that saw him average 10.2 points, 4.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

  Carter-Williams did suit up for the Mexico City Capitanes of the G League in late 2023 but parted ways for personal reasons. He has served as a men's college basketball studio and game analyst for ESPN since January 2025.

  --Field Level Media

As the Boston Celtics prepare for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Orlando Magic, they will have to do so with the likelihood that star Jayson Tatum will not suit up on Wednesday.

• The All-Star small forward landed awkwardly on his right wrist early in the fourth quarter following a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. After remaining on the floor momentarily, Tatum remained in the game and finished with 17 points in 40 minutes of action.

  Despite Boston coach Joe Mazzulla initially indicating that Tatum would be day-to-day, the Celtics on Wednesday listed Tatum as doubtful for Wednesday's Game 2 with a right distal radius bone bruise.

  Tatum told reporters that his X-ray came back negative and assured fans that he was feeling better.

  "I just landed on it," Tatum said. "It was throbbing for a second, then kind of went away."

  The leading scoring for the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, Tatum was looking to lead Boston to a repeat title to become the first team to go back-to-back since Golden State in 2017-18.

  --Field Level Media

The Sacramento Kings named longtime NBA executive Scott Perry as the team's general manager.

• The move, announced late Monday night, came less than a week after the team and Monte McNair mutually agreed to part ways following the club's play-in loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

  Perry, 61, briefly served as vice president of basketball operations in Sacramento in 2017 before he was named as general manager of the New York Knicks (2017-23).

  He began his NBA front office career with the Detroit Pistons in 2000. He was the assistant GM for the then-Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08, the vice president of basketball operations for the Pistons from 2008-12, and an assistant GM and VP for the Orlando Magic from 2012-17.

  "Scott brings a wealth of experience, a sharp basketball mind, and a strong track record of building talented rosters," Kings owner and chairman Vivek Ranadive said in a press release. "He shares our commitment to developing and sustaining a winning culture, and I am excited to welcome him back to Sacramento."

  Perry will be tasked with turning around a team that fired coach Mike Brown, traded star De'Aaron Fox and lost in the play-in tournament for the second consecutive season.

  "I appreciate the opportunity to rejoin the Kings organization and help build a successful team that competes at a high level," Perry said. "I'm eager to get to work with the players and staff to continue moving the organization forward."

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard Damian Lillard told reporters at the morning shootaround that he will return to the court Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.

• Lillard, who had been listed as questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series, hasn't played since March 18 due to a blood clot in his leg.

  The fifth-seeded Bucks dropped a 117-98 decision to the fourth-seeded Pacers in Game 1 on Saturday.

  Lillard, 34, was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf last month and was taking blood-thinning medication, forcing him to sit out of action. With his condition improved, the Bucks said last Thursday that he had been cleared to resume basketball activity.

  The nine-time All-Star averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games during the regular season. Over 900 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks, he owns averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who hasn't played since March 18 due to a blood clot, has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the host Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.

• The Bucks announced Lillard's status on Monday's injury report as questionable due to return to competition reconditioning. The fourth-seeded Pacers won the Eastern Conference series opener against the fifth-seeded Bucks 117-98 on Saturday in Indianapolis.

  Lillard, 34, was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf last month and was taking blood-thinning medication, forcing him to sit out of action. With his condition improved, the Bucks said last Thursday that he had been cleared to resume basketball activity. He was a full participant at Monday's practice, according to The Athletic, after missing the final 14 games of the regular season.

  The nine-time All-Star averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games during the regular season. Over 900 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks, he has averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

  Bucks forward Tyler Smith has been ruled out of Tuesday's game because of a sprained left ankle.

  --Field Level Media

The Atlanta Hawks fired general manager Landry Fields on Monday and promoted Onsi Saleh to fill the position.

• The team also initiated a search for a president of basketball operations following a 40-42 season that ended with Friday's overtime loss to the visiting Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

  Fields, 36, joined the Hawks as an assistant general manager in October 2020 and was promoted to GM in June 2022. Atlanta fell in the first round of the playoffs in his first season in 2022-23 before missing the playoffs the past two seasons, posting an overall record of 117-129 in his tenure.

  "I would genuinely like to thank Landry for his leadership during his time with us. Landry made our franchise better and left contributions that have positioned us for growth," principal owner Tony Ressler said. "I am grateful for his dedication and wish him success in his next endeavor."

  Fields and the Hawks drafted Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The French forward averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 75 games (73 starts) during his rookie campaign.

  Saleh joined Atlanta in May 2024 after three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, finishing his time there as the vice president of basketball strategy and team counsel. He previously spent five years in the San Antonio Spurs' front office.

  Saleh will oversee all day-to-day basketball operations, effective immediately.

  "Every offseason we evaluate how we operate and ways we can improve our organization," Ressler said. "As we enter this pivotal offseason, we have several complex decisions ahead of us, and we are committed to providing the human and financial resources needed to ensure that we navigate these decisions with a high level of precision and foresight. Adding an accomplished, senior-level leader to provide strategic direction and structure as well as partnering with Onsi and our talented front office is a top priority."

  --Field Level Media

Aaron Wiggins scored 21 points off the bench and Jalen Williams added 20 as the Oklahoma City Thunder earned a 131-80 home rout of the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series on Sunday.

• The Thunder had plenty of blowout victories in the regular season, setting an NBA record for scoring margin in running away with the top seed in the West. They had also rolled past the Grizzlies in all four regular-season meetings by 13 or more points. Oklahoma City's 51-point victory was the fifth largest in NBA playoff history, according to ESPN, and the largest in the first game of a playoff series.

  After scoring 20 or more points in each of his final 72 games of the regular season, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with just 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Chet Holmgren had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Isaiah Hartenstein added 14 points as the Thunder outscored Memphis 27-5 on fast-break points and delivered 24 points off 24 Grizzlies' turnovers.

  Ja Morant and Marvin Bagley III led Memphis with 17 points each. Bagley finished 8 of 8 from the field, including hitting a buzzer-beating shot from beyond halfcourt to end the third quarter.

  Celtics 103, Magic 86

  Derrick White made seven 3-point attempts and scored a team-high 30 points to lead Boston past visiting Orlando in Game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

  Jayson Tatum added 17 points and 14 rebounds for second-seeded Boston, which received 19 points off the bench from Payton Pritchard. Jaylen Brown, who missed the final three regular-season games with posterior impingement in his right knee, finished with 16 points in 30 minutes.

  Orlando's Paulo Banchero led all scorers with 36 points. He also had 11 rebounds. Franz Wagner contributed 23 points and five assists, but no other Magic player scored more than Jonathan Isaac's seven points. Orlando's Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 13 rebounds.

  Cavaliers 121, Heat 100

  Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Ty Jerome scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as top-seeded Cleveland pulled away to defeat visiting Miami in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

  Jerome, a backup point guard, was making his playoff debut in his sixth season. He also dished three assists in the final period after being named a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award earlier in the day. He made 10 of 15 field goal attempts, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers. Mitchell, a six-time All-Star, posted his seventh straight 30-point performance in a series opener, tying Michael Jordan for the NBA record.

  Bam Adebayo had 24 points and nine rebounds, and Tyler Herro scored 21 points for the Heat, who were playing their third game in five days. Miami needed play-in tournament wins at Chicago on Wednesday and Atlanta on Friday to become the first 10th seed to qualify.

  Warriors 95, Rockets 85

  Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points and Jimmy Butler III added 25 as Golden State held off host Houston in Game 1 of this Western Conference first-round series.

  Curry, who shot 1-for-10 and scored three points in a home loss to the Rockets on April 6, was brilliant throughout. He finished 12-for-19 overall, drilled five 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds. Butler added seven rebounds and six assists to his ledger as the visiting Warriors grabbed a 1-0 series lead with Game 2 set for Wednesday in Houston.

  The Rockets shot just 39.1 percent and committed 17 turnovers that the Warriors converted into 25 points. Alperen Sengun posted 26 points and nine rebounds. Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet shot a combined 7-for-34 and totaled 17 points for Houston.

  --Field Level Media

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder are the finalists for this season's Most Valuable Player award, the NBA announced Sunday.

• Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a league-best 32.7 points per game while starring for an Oklahoma City squad that produced the best regular-season record (68-14) in the league.

  Jokic enjoyed his best all-around statistical season by averaging a triple-double -- 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.

  Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists but is a long shot to win the award this time.

  The NBA also announced finalists for several other awards. Players have to play in at least 65 games to be eligible for awards.

  The Defensive Player of the Year honor is wide open after San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama sustained a season-ending blood clot. He played in just 46 games.

  The finalists for the award are Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

  The Most Improved Player candidates are Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers and Daniels.

  Rookie of the Year finalists are Stephon Castle of the Spurs, Zaccharie Risacher of the Hawks and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies.

  The finalists for Sixth Man of the Year are Malik Beasley of the Pistons, Ty Jerome of the Cavaliers and Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics.

  The Clutch Player of the Year finalists are Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jokic.

  The Coach of the Year finalists all guided their teams to the playoffs. Kenny Atkinson's Cavaliers had an Eastern Conference-leading 64-18 record. Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka's team went 52-30, the second-best record in the West, and J.B. Bickerstaff took the Pistons from an NBA-worst 14-68 record last season to 44-38 this year.

  --Field Level Media

Jalen Brunson overcame a slow start to score 34 points as the New York Knicks dominated the fourth quarter in a 123-112 victory over the visiting Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Saturday.

• Game 2 will be Monday in New York before the series shifts to Detroit on Thursday.

  The Knicks overcame an eight-point deficit by outscoring the Pistons 33-14 over the final 9:16. New York seized control with a massive 21-0 run that spanned nearly 4 1/2 minutes and gave the Knicks a 111-98 lead. Brunson scored eight points in the burst -- all in the paint -- and gave the Knicks the lead for good when his difficult 2-footer over Tim Hardaway Jr. with 7:16 left snapped a 98-98 tie.

  OG Anunoby added 19 of his 23 points in the first half and Karl Anthony-Towns contributed 13 of his 23 in the second half to go along with 11 rebounds and five assists overall. Reserve Cameron Payne added 14 points, including the tying 3-pointer in New York's extended run.

  Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 25 points, but Detroit dropped its 15th straight postseason game dating to Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals.

  Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)

  Aaron Gordon had six of his 25 points in overtime, Russell Westbrook came up with a big defensive play in the final seconds and host Denver rallied to beat Los Angeles in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

  Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, Jamal Murray scored 21 points, Westbrook finished with 15 and Christian Braun had 11 for Denver, which hosts Game 2 on Monday night.

  James Harden led Los Angeles with 32 points and had 11 assists, Ivica Zubac finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Kawhi Leonard scored 22, Norman Powell contributed 12 and Kris Dunn finished with 11.

  Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95

  Jaden McDaniels collected 25 points with nine rebounds and Anthony Edwards added 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists as visiting Minnesota rolled to a victory over Los Angeles in the opener of a first-round Western Conference playoff series.

  Naz Reid scored 23 points and Julius Randle had 16 as the No. 6 seed Timberwolves improved to 5-0 in first-round games over the past two seasons. Minnesota shot 51.2 percent from the floor and went 21 of 42 from 3-point range. Edwards departed to the locker room late in the third quarter with an apparent left leg injury before he returned. Reid was also injured late.

  Luka Doncic scored 37 points with eight rebounds, and LeBron James added 19 points for the No. 3 seed Lakers, who shot 39.8 percent from the floor. Austin Reaves had 16 points after a slow start for Los Angeles, which was outscored 25-6 on fast-break points and 43-13 in bench points.

  Pacers 117, Bucks 98

  Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam combined for 27 points in a runaway first half, Tyrese Haliburton directed a high-efficiency offense with 12 total assists and host Indiana thumped Milwaukee to open their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in Indianapolis.

  Siakam finished with 25 points, Myles Turner added 19 and Nembhard had 17, helping the fourth-seeded Pacers gain the early edge in the best-of-seven series. Haliburton added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Bennedict Mathurin totaled 13 points.

  Giannis Antetokounmpo powered his way to 36 points for the fifth-seeded Bucks, who played without star guard Damian Lillard, out with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. No other Milwaukee starter scored in double figures. AJ Green chipped in with 15 points off the bench, Gary Trent Jr. 14 and Kevin Porter Jr. 12.

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard, who missed the final 14 games of the regular season due to a medical issue, could return for Game 2 or 3 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, ESPN reported Saturday.

• Lillard, 34, was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf last month and was taking blood-thinning medication, forcing him to sit out of action. With his condition improved, the Bucks said Thursday that he had been cleared to resume basketball activity.

  He has not played in a game since March 18, when he scored 16 points in a 104-93 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

  Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series between the No. 5 Bucks (48-34) and the No. 4 Pacers (50-32) will be played Saturday in Indianapolis.

  On the season, the nine-time All-Star averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games. Over 900 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks, he has averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

  --Field Level Media

Memphis star point guard Ja Morant was cleared to play in the Grizzlies' Friday play-in game against the Dallas Mavericks about 30 minutes before the scheduled tipoff.

• Morant sprained his right ankle on Tuesday in Memphis' 121-116 road loss against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.

  Morant reportedly underwent an MRI exam on Thursday and received multiple pain-killing injections in recent days.

  "I know he's doing everything possible to be able to play," Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo said prior to the Friday game.

  Before Morant was cleared, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said, "We're prepared to see Ja. He's a gamer. He's a tough individual. ... We believe that he's going to go."

  Morant was hurt when he landed on the foot of Golden State's Buddy Hield with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

  Morant, 25, later returned to the game and wound up scoring 22 points.

  A two-time All-Star, Morant averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 50 regular-season games this season.

  The winner of the Friday contest will be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

  --Field Level Media

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich fainted at a San Antonio steakhouse earlier this week and was taken out of the restaurant on a stretcher and whisked away via ambulance, according to multiple reports.

• TMZ first reported on the Tuesday night incident that reportedly occurred around 8:20 p.m CT. TMZ reported that Popovich was alert and talking as he reached the ambulance.

  Popovich's injuries were not life-threatening, according to reports. He's now reportedly resting at home.

  Popovich, 76, missed most of the 2024-25 NBA season after having a stroke prior to a Nov. 2 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was officially ruled out for the season on Feb. 27 and told players at that time that he hopes to return next season.

  TMZ reported that Popovich appeared to be dealing with stroke-related issues during his two hours at the steakhouse before paramedics were called.

  Popovich has won five NBA titles during his Hall of Fame head coaching career that began in 1996-97 with the Spurs. He has 1,412 regular-season victories and guided San Antonio to an NBA record 18 straight 50-win seasons. The streak was snapped with a 47-35 record in 2017-18.

  Mitch Johnson finished out San Antonio's 34-48 campaign this season on an interim basis.

  --Field Level Media

On the eve of the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers extended the contract of general manager/vice president Rob Pelinka, with a promotion included, just over two months after star Luka Doncic was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks.

• Under the new deal, Pelinka now becomes the president of basketball operations to go along with his GM title. Vice president was added to his title in 2020.

  Terms of the new deal were not announced.

  Under Pelinka, the Lakers added LeBron James as a free agent in July of 2018 and since-departed Anthony Davis in a July 2019 trade. Prior to this season, he hired JJ Redick as coach.

  "For eight seasons, I have relied on Rob's vision and leadership to do what's best for the Lakers organization," Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a release. "I value his partnership and professionalism and believe in his ability to deliver championship-caliber basketball for Los Angeles and Lakers fans everywhere."

  The Lakers went 50-32 in the just-completed regular season to earn the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference. They open the playoffs Saturday with a best-of-seven series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Doncic was acquired Feb. 7 in a deal that cost the team Davis and Max Christie among other assorted pieces included in the deal. In 28 games with Los Angeles, Doncic averaged 28.2 points with 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. The team went 19-13 after Doncic made his Feb. 10 debut.

  The Lakers were just 35-47 in Pelinka's first full season as GM in 2017-18 then won the NBA title in 2020 during the shortened pandemic season. Los Angeles has made the playoffs in four of the five seasons since then, advancing as far as the Western Conference finals in 2023.

  --Field Level Media

Projected first-round pick Ben Saraf of Israel announced Friday he is entering the 2025 NBA Draft.

• "This is the right time for me," he told ESPN. "After playing against the highest levels of competition in European basketball, I am ready and excited for the draft."

  The 6-foot-6 point guard is ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the draft pool by ESPN.

  Saraf, 19, is averaging 12.2 points and 4.3 assists in 41 games this season with Germany's ratiopharm Ulm.

  "We're working really well in Ulm," he told ESPN. "They aren't afraid to give a platform here to young players. They've put trust in us, and we've paid them back with wins. We're in second place in the BBL and hoping to win a trophy this season. The coaches and staff have helped me improve so much since I got here. It's been a win-win situation for everyone."

  Saraf burst onto the NBA radar last summer after earning MVP honors at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket, averaging 28.1 points, 5.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals for Israel.

  The NBA draft combine is taking place in Chicago from May 11-18. The draft will be held in New York from June 25-26.

  --Field Level Media

The Phoenix Suns finished 10 games below .500 this season and missed the postseason despite having probable Hall of Famer Kevin Durant and fellow star Devin Booker on the roster.

• Suns owner Mat Ishbia didn't like his view, either. He saw a team with no passion and lacking an identity.

  "Embarrassing season, right?" Ishbia told reporters on Thursday. "Disappointing. Awful. I watch every game like all you guys do and no one's proud of it, no one's happy with it, from me, to the front office, to the coaches and players, to the marketing executives to the security guards. It was a failure."

  Ishbia nailed it by referring to the Phoenix season as a failure.

  The Suns jumped off to an 8-1 start and seemed ready to compete for a Western Conference playoff spot. But when a play-in spot was there for the taking, Phoenix collapsed and lost nine of its last 10 games to end an underachieving season.

  And Ishbia didn't see much fight down the stretch.

  "I want to put a team out there on the court that everyone is proud of," Ishbia said. "It has to have an identity -- an identity similar to Phoenix. Some grit, some determination, some work ethic, some grind, some joy. We just haven't had that."

  The Suns fired Mike Budenholzer after the season and the next coach will be the franchise's fourth in four years.

  "We've got to get the next hire right," the 45-year-old Ishbia said. "And we will."

  Durant is expected to be on the move with Phoenix looking to acquire rebuilding assets. He'll be 37 years old next season but showed there was plenty of life in his body by averaging 26.6 points in 62 games this season.

  The Suns will build around Booker, who is just 28 after 10 seasons in the NBA. He averaged 25.6 points this season and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 16,452 career points.

  "He's the franchise player, he's done amazing things," Ishbia said. "I speak with him and we're very aligned with what we want to do. His mission and my mission are very similar -- let's bring a championship to Phoenix."

  Booker has repeatedly expressed hope that he can spend his entire career with the Suns.

  Phoenix also would like to ship Bradley Beal but was unable to do so at the trade deadline due to a no-trade clause in the contract that pays Beal more than $50 million a season. The Suns will surely ask Beal again if he will waive the clause.

  --Field Level Media

Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is a game-time decision for Friday night's play-in game against the Dallas Mavericks due to his injured right ankle.

• Morant was hurt during Tuesday night's 121-116 road loss against the host Golden State Warriors when he landed on the foot of Golden State's Buddy Hield with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

  "My feel with him is he'll do absolutely everything in order to play," Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said after Thursday's practice. "If he's physically able to do it, he will do it. It's a legitimate game-time decision."

  Morant, 25, later returned to the game against Golden State in the fourth quarter and finished with 21 points. He said afterward that he planned to play Friday.

  Iisalo is hoping Morant's ankle responds well to treatment.

  "He's also a very good judge of how and if he's ready to go or not," Iisalo said. "I'm leaning on the experts in this situation, which clearly I'm not in the medical department."

  A two-time All-Star, Morant average 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 50 regular-season games this season.

  The winner of Friday's contest will be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard has been cleared for full basketball activity, the team announced Thursday.

• He had been treated for deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and was taking blood-thinning medication, forcing him to sit out the final 14 games of the regular season. The team said he is no longer on the medication.

  He will not play in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the No. 5 Bucks (48-34) and the No. 4 Pacers (50-32) in Indianapolis on Saturday.

  "We're thrilled for Dame," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said. "Our priority has always been Dame's health. We're grateful to our medical team for diagnosing and treating his DVT at an early stage, and for the world-renown hematology specialists at Mayo Clinic. Every step of Dame's recovery has been at the direction of world-class medical professionals and their specific and strict protocols that have allowed for Dame's safe and healthy return to play."

  The team said Lillard, 34, will "continue to increase" his basketball activity as he prepares to return to play but didn't offer a timeline.

  On the season, the nine-time All-Star averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games. Over 900 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks, he has averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

  --Field Level Media